Senate Farm Bill Markup Today

Posted on May 14, 2013 by Cindy

The Senate Agriculture Committee meets this morning to consider the Agriculture Reform, Food and Jobs Act of 2013, their version of a “Farm Bill.” Yesterday, farm broadcasters meeting in Washington D.C. had the chance to interview a number of representatives from various agricultural and renewable fuels organizations and most of them had something to say about what the House and Senate have in their respective draft bills.

American Soybean Association director and farmer from Delaware Richard Wilkins said they are pleased to see that both bills allow some flexibility for growers. “They both contain provisions that allow the soybean grower to choose which type of “safety net” they feel works best for them,” he said.
Interview with Richard Wilkins, American Soybean Association

Chris Galen with the National Milk Producers Federation says both drafts contain the Dairy Security Act and he expects the Senate to pass this proposal which they support, but on the House side there is another proposal being offered which they oppose. “Basically it would turn farmers into takers of government welfare because it would not allow the marketplace to correct quick enough,” he said.
Interview with Chris Galen, National Milk Producers Federation

Bob Dinneen with the Renewable Fuels Association says there is an energy title in the Senate draft. “And we hope to be able to have some funds in that to allow USDA to continue to make funding available for blender pumps and do some other things for future technologies,” he said.
Interview with Bob Dinneen, Renewable Fuels Association

Colin Woodall with the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association says as far as they are concerned, they would rather not be in the farm bill at all. “Our number one priority was to make sure there was not a livestock title in either bill, right now there’s not so we’re happy with that,” he said.
Interview with Colin Woodall, National Cattlemen's Beef Association

2013 NAFB Washington Watch Photo Album

Find more NAFB Washington Watch interviews on AgNewsWire.com

Purina Launches Cool Cow App

Posted on May 9, 2013 by Talia

The Cool Cow mobile app puts the tools dairy producers need to monitor and address heat stress at their fingertips. Research shows that cows can begin to show the effects of heat stress at a Temperature Humidity Index or THI of 68. Reproduction can be impacted at a THI of 55.[1]

Heat stress and an associated 10 percent to 35 percent milk production loss[2] may cost a dairy producer $1.60 to $5.60 per cow per day.[3] These losses can continue to mount when reductions in reproductive performance and increased days open are added into the equation.

The mobile app features an easy to use heat stress calculator for inputting the current temperature and humidity readings. The temperature and humidity is then translated into a THI reading that shows the severity of heat stress, ranging from mild to extreme risk; providing dairy producers insight on the current conditions inside their barn. In addition to the heat stress calculator, the mobile app offers tips on mitigating heat stress from management to nutrition.

The Cool Cow mobile app is available to download for Android phones at: http://bit.ly/AndriodCoolCow and for iPhones at: http://bit.ly/iPhoneCoolCow.

Dairy Leaders Celebrate Sustainability Award

Posted on April 25, 2013 by Talia

Winners of the dairy industry’s prestigious Sustainability Awards join the ranks of celebrities, athletes and influencers – from country music singer Miranda Lambert to movie star Salma Hayek to actor and father Taye Diggs – by donning the famed Milk Mustache for their own ad. The dairy industry leaders were recognized yesterday for their efforts to advance sustainability at the U.S. Dairy Sustainability Awards in Washington, D.C.

This marks the second year MilkPEP, most known for the National Milk Mustache “got milk?” Campaign – a multi-faceted campaign designed to educate consumers about the health benefits of milk – has sponsored the Sustainability Award Milk Mustache ad.

USDA Renews Dairy Energy MOU

Posted on April 24, 2013 by Cindy

Agriculture Secretary Vilsack today renewed a historic agreement with U.S. dairy producers to accelerate the adoption of innovative waste-to-energy projects and energy efficiency improvements on U.S. dairy farms, both of which help producers diversify revenues and reduce utility expenses on their operations. The pact extends a Memorandum of Understanding signed in Copenhagen, Denmark, in 2009.

“Through this renewed commitment, USDA and the Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy will continue research that helps dairy farmers improve the sustainability of their operations,” Vilsack said. “This vital research also will support the dairy industry as it works to reach its long-term goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 25 percent by 2020.”

The Secretary signed the agreement this afternoon at the White House and was joined by representatives of the Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy and Dairy Management, including Thomas P. Gallagher, CEO of the center. One objective of the MOU is to increase the construction of anaerobic digesters and explore innovative ways to use products previously considered waste streams from dairy production, processing and handling.

USDA support for agricultural and waste-to-energy research has played a key role in the agreement’s success to date. Since signing the MOU, USDA has made nearly 180 awards that helped finance the development, construction, and biogas production of anaerobic digester systems with Rural Development programs, such as the Rural Energy for America Program (REAP), Bioenergy Program for Advanced Biofuels, Business and Industry Guaranteed Loan Program, Value Added Producer Grants, amongst others. These systems capture methane and produce renewable energy for on-farm use and sale onto the electric grid. Additionally, during this period, USDA awarded approximately 140 REAP loans and grants to help dairy farmers develop other types of renewable energy and energy efficiency systems at their operations.

The Secretary was joined on a conference call to make the announcement by The Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy CEO Tom Gallagher and Doug Young, a farmer from NY who has benefited from this MOU.

USDA/Dairy MOU press call

New Resources Available for Dairy Producers

Posted on April 22, 2013 by Talia

The Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy announced new science-based resources available for dairy producers, processors, industry partners and stakeholders. The resources help the industry act on the unprecedented scientific research commissioned as part of the U.S. Dairy Sustainability Commitment — a collective effort of the dairy value chain to measure and improve the sustainability of U.S. dairy from farm to table.

As part of this commitment, the dairy industry initiated a series of scientific life cycle assessments of fluid milk, cheese and whey. With this body of work, the U.S. dairy industry is striving to create the most transparent and documented dairy LCA database available. Due in part to its rigorous science-based approach, it was chosen to be the pilot industry participating in the National Agricultural Library of the U.S. Department of Agriculture to provide an open-access, prototype LCA database and tools.

The three new resources available include:

Coalition Pleased With Immigration Bill

Posted on April 18, 2013 by Cindy

Representatives from both agricultural employers and farm labor are pleased with guest worker provisions included in the Border Security, Economic Opportunity and Immigration Modernization Act introduced in the Senate yesterday.

Leaders from the Agriculture Workforce Coalition (AWC) held a press conference yesterday to highlight the stake American agriculture has in immigration reform. Late last week, a landmark agreement on immigration reform was reached by the AWC, the United Farm Workers (UFW), and key Senators.

The bill’s provisions for agriculture include a new “blue card” program for experienced farm workers, and improvements to the current agricultural worker visa program.

Participating in the news conference were National Council of Farmer Cooperatives president Chuck Conner, National Milk Producers president Jerry Kozak, Western Growers Association president Tom Nassif, United Fresh Produce Association president Tom Stenzel, Florida Fruit and Vegetable Association president Mike Stuart, U.S. Apple Association president Nancy Foster, and United Farm Workers President Arturo Rodriguez.

Listen to or download here: AWC press conference

Husker Food Connection Connects Urban and Rural

Posted on April 10, 2013 by Melissa

The Alliance for the Future of Agriculture in Nebraska (A-FAN) collaborated with agriculture-related student organizations at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln to host the second annual, Husker Food Connection.

Husker Food Connection helps urban students better understand where their food comes from. The theme of the Husker Food Connection was, “Know what we grow: Discovering Nebraska Agriculture.”

Listen to Lukas Fricke, UNL freshman and animal science major, as he explains how he addresses consumer concerns about modern pork production.
Listen to Fricke explain

Participants learned about where their food comes from and the importance of agriculture in Nebraska while engaging in several activities. Students received a free lunch featuring beef, pork and turkey sandwiches along with ice cream — all products raised and made in Nebraska. During the event, approximately 2,000 lunches were served. The first 1,000 students to attend the event also received free t-shirts. Numerous students were eager to take a closer look at the piglets, chicks and Holstein calf. For many of them, this was their first experience with livestock.

Listen here to Bob Meduna, Southeast Extension Education, about helping students understand how what cattle eat impacts the final beef product.
Listen to Meduna explain

Willow Holoubek, A-FAN Organizational Director, said she is impressed with the eagerness of students to help their peers understand how their food is grown. “Having conversations about food production and making this connection is vitally important for the future. A-FAN applauds the Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources (IANR) students for their hard work in their efforts to connect farm to fork.”

Dairy Makes Sense Parody Video

Posted on April 1, 2013 by Chuck

This is just too good not to share. The Midwest Dairy Association just published Feedin’ A Nation, a very entertaining music parody video.

Thank you to the more than 65 dairy farmers from age 1 to 81 for helping bring this video to life. All footage was filmed at dairy farm family homes in Iowa, Minnesota and South Dakota. Join us in “Feedin’ a Nation” by making a food bank donation to ensure the health of all generations! Learn more at http://www.DairyMakesSense.com.

See It? Stop It! Animal Care Starts With You

Posted on March 28, 2013 by Jamie

The National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF), along with the Center for Food Integrity and the U.S. Pork Sector jointly launched “See It? Stop It! Animal Care Starts With You.” A campaign to give proactive demonstration of agriculture’s commitment to farm animal care. The initiative demands that if signs of animal abuse, neglect, mishandling or harm are seen, then we have an obligation to report it immediately.

Though these acts are uncommon, See It? Stop It! gives animal care providers resources to easily report what they witness.

Betsy Flores, NMPF’s Senior Director of Animal Health and Welfare, stated, “Care of animals could not be more important to farmers. Having a system in place to contact any of several authorities is imperative, and ‘See it? Stop it!’ provides that resource. This initiative combines well with the dairy industry’s National Dairy FARM Program: Farmers Assuring Responsible Management to ensure the well-being of animals in our care.”

“As the nation’s oldest animal protection organization, the American Humane Association (AHA) has a long history of involvement with programs that help assure proper animal care,” said Kathi Brock, National Director of the Farm Animal Program for AHA. “It is critical for farm management to set clear expectations for animal care and to have zero tolerance for animal mistreatment. We believe ‘See It? Stop It!’ provides the tools to help set those expectations and a mechanism for reporting abuse which supports the proper care of America’s farm animals.”

The U.S. pork and dairy industries have provided funding for the program and believe it is a great way to add to their already existing strong animal care programs.

“The Pork Quality Assurance® (PQA Plus®) program outlines best practices for proper animal care,” said Sherrie Niekamp, director of animal welfare for the National Pork Board. “The ‘See it? Stop It!’ initiative meshes well with the core principles of PQA Plus that pork producers have followed for more than 20 years.”

For more information about the program and an employer checklist, guidance for integrating the program into existing animal well-being programs, posters and employee training visit www.seeitstopit.org.

Prancing, Dancing Lily Moves Into App Market

Posted on February 22, 2013 by Jamie

Award-winning book, Prancing, Dancing Lily, can now be found world-wide as a multi-platform app. The heartwarming story about an Ayrshire cow determined to hoof and groove around the globe, was written by Marsha Diane Arnold and illustrated by John Manders. App developers and author have teamed up with interactive media publisher, Fat Red Couch.

“The Fat Red Couch team provided years of experience in storytelling and are a delight to work with,” says Ms. Arnold. “We persevered in our search for the perfect app just as Lily persevered in her search for the perfect dance, and just like Lily, we had a great time on the journey. Lily’s story will delight anyone who’s ever felt different from the herd. Children can interact with Lily as they read or listen to the story and enjoy playing puzzles.”

Download Prancing, Dancing Lily on iTunes, Android, and Amazon for $1.99. For a preview of the app, visit Vimeo. To learn more about Lily and author Marsha Diane Arnold, please visit www.prancingdancinglily.com. To learn more about Fat Red Couch, a member of the collaborative group of family-friendly app developers Moms With Apps, visit www.fatredcouch.com.

FarmFirst Dairy Cooperative Has New Logo

Posted on January 9, 2013 by Melissa

FarmFirst Dairy Cooperative board of directors recently unveiled its new logo. The identity symbolizes the newly formed cooperative’s vision and commitment to its members.

The logo and brand identity were approved by the FarmFirst Dairy Cooperative’s board of directors and will be integrated throughout membership and marketing efforts as the new cooperative establishes its presence in the industry.

Nobody is Happy with Farm Bill Extension

Posted on January 3, 2013 by Cindy

*UPDATED with audio*

Congress spent the New Year’s holiday working and actually managed to pass a “fiscal cliff” bill that even addressed agriculture – but no one seems to be very grateful for all of our lawmakers’ hard work and sacrifice except the lawmakers themselves.

The nine month extension of the current farm bill, which actually expired months ago, is being pretty universally panned by agricultural interests. It was the looming specter of $8 a gallon milk that motivated the Senate to include a farm bill extension in the package but National Milk Producers Federation President and CEO Jerry Kozak called it “a devastating blow” to the nation’s dairy farmers. “After months of inaction, the plan that passed overnight as part of the fiscal cliff package amounts to shoving farmers over the dairy cliff without providing any safety net below,” said Kozak. “These stop-gap efforts don’t even qualify as kicking the can down the road. It’s little more than a New Year’s Day, hair-of-the-dog stab at temporarily putting off decisions that should have been made in 2012 about how to move farm policy forward, not offer more of the same.”

I talked to NMPF Senior VP of Communications Chris Galen about their concerns and how they intend to address them in the 113th Congress. Interview with Chris Galen

National Corn Growers Association President Pam Johnson of Iowa says they are “tired of the endless excuses and lack of accountability” by Congress in failing to address a five year farm bill. “Once again Congress’ failure to act pushes agriculture aside hampering farmers’ ability to make sound business decisions for the next five years,” said Johnson. “The system is clearly broken.”

I got to chat with Pam about her personal feelings and NCGA’s positions on the farm bill extension and her hopefulness that the new year will bring a new attitude in Congress. Interview with Pam Johnson

American Farm Bureau Federation president Bob Stallman called the extension “little more than a stop-gap measure” and said they are “disappointed that Congress was unable or unwilling to roll a comprehensive five-year farm bill proposal into the fiscal cliff package. Now, it will be up to the new 113th Congress to put a new farm bill in place.” National Farmers Union president Roger Johnson was more critical, calling the extension “a short sighted, temporary fix that ultimately provides inadequate solutions that will leave our farmers and ranchers crippled by uncertainty.”

Looking for a brighter side, American Soybean Association (ASA) President Danny Murphy of Mississippi said they are disappointed in Congress but noted that the extension of the 2008 Farm Bill “allows important foreign market development, disaster assistance, and farm safety net programs to continue.”

The nine-month extension means that Congress can now ignore the farm bill until at least September, then allow it to expire, then wait until the end of the year again and pass another extension – or hopefully actually get a new bill passed at the very last possible moment or later.

Branding Without Fire & Ice

Posted on December 18, 2012 by Jamie

What makes Coca-Cola different from milk?

Elizabeth Bagby, Alltech’s Corporate Marketing Manager, answered that question with branding. She addressed the essence of a brand and why beef and dairy producers need brands at the 2012 Global 500. But most importantly she shared what brands we all can learn from.

The concept of branding, interestingly enough, comes from cattle branding. The first people in the known world to try and differentiate their product from others were cattlemen. So, with our long history in branding we should be leading the charge in the food community.

Today we should be defining a brand as the customers experience, not the practice of creating a name, symbol or design that is associated with a product. Elizabeth described that as a logo, not a brand.

Branding isn’t just for business to consumer. Elizabeth shared 3 reasons why brand communication works in B2B as well.

1. Cuts through the clutter.
2. Facilitates delivery of promise.
3. Taps into the emotional drivers.

Listen to Elizabeth’s complete presentation here: Elizabeth Bagby - Global 500

Check out all the photos from this years Global 500 here: 2012 Global 500 Photo Album

The Gene Chip

Posted on December 14, 2012 by Jamie

The gene chip my sound somewhat futuristic, but it is actually something we have capabilities of using today. Alltech is on the cutting edge of research on the gene chip. Kate Jacques is Alltech’s director of nutrition and serves as part of the research group for the gene chip.

The science behind the gene chip is state-of-the-art and it was exciting to hear Kate describe how all producers can utilize this technology soon. I talked with her after she presented to both dairy and beef producers at this year’s Global 500.

“The gene chip is microarray and it is a very exciting new technique to measure your animals response that animal science has had in ages. Basically, it allows us to directly follow gene expression. Remember that genetics give us better animals, but it’s the expression of those genes that gives performance and profit. We use it in lots of studies to follow responses to diets.”

Listen to my interview with Kate here: Kate Jacques - Global 500

Kate shared how the gene chip can be used to improve immune response, advance carcass quality and remove stress from the environment.

Listen to Kate’s complete presentation here: Kate Jacques - Global 500

Check out all the photos from this years Global 500 here: 2012 Global 500 Photo Album

Back To The Future With Dr. Lyons At Global 500

Posted on December 5, 2012 by Jamie

Global 500 has official kicked off with opening remarks by Dr. Pearse Lyons, president and founder of Alltech. He shared his thoughts on the future of farming and proudly compared farmers and ranchers to heroes.

“Don’t just think it, ink it,” advised Dr. Lyons while asking us to write down five things he wanted to get us to do. Dream. Dare. Desire. Decide Dedicate. He also shared he has never milked a cow, so maybe someone would like to volunteer to teach him.

Alltech is on the cutting edge when it comes to the future of agriculture. Dr. Lyons listed six rules for producers to keep in mind when thinking about the future of their herds.

#1. Start with your land.
#2. Learn to understand the rumen.
#3. Feed the rumen nitrogen and carbohydrates.
#4. Focus on fertility.
#5. Watch out for mycotoxins.
#6. Only feed your minerals in the Bioflex form.

Listen to Dr. Lyons complete presentation here: Dr. Pearse Lyons - GLobal 500

2012 Global 500 Photo Album

EPA Denies Ethanol Waiver Request

Posted on November 16, 2012 by Cindy

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has denied a petition by the governors of poultry producing states that would have waived the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) and its requirement for ethanol in the nation’s fuel supply.

In its decision to deny the request, EPA said Friday that the RFS itself is not causing economic harm and that suspending the standard would reduce corn prices by only 1%. “We recognize that this year’s drought has created hardship in some sectors of the economy, particularly for livestock producers,” said EPA’s Gina McCarthy in a statement. “But our extensive analysis makes clear that congressional requirements for a waiver have not been met and that waiving the RFS will have little, if any, impact.”

The ethanol industry is obviously pleased with the decision and so are corn farmers. “The National Corn Growers Association supports the Environmental Protection Agency’s decision to deny the Renewable Fuel Standard waiver request,” said NCGA President Pam Johnson “We believe Administrator Jackson appropriately recognized petitioners did not properly prove severe nationwide economic harm had occurred thereby creating no justification for a waiver of the RFS.”

“The RFS is working as designed,” said Renewable Fuels Association president Bob Dinneen. “The flexibility that is built into the RFS allows the marketplace to ration demand, not the government. Indeed, the ethanol industry has responded to the market by reducing output by approximately 12%.”

Listen to or download interview with Bob Dinneen. RFA reacts to RFS Waiver Denial

Livestock and poultry producers, however, are not so happy. A coalition of livestock, poultry and dairy organizations issued a statement expressing “extreme disappointment” with the denial.

“We are extremely frustrated and discouraged that EPA chose to ignore the clear economic argument from tens of thousands of family farmers and livestock and poultry producers that the food-to-fuel policy is causing and will cause severe harm to regions in which those farmers and producers operate,” the coalition said.

In fact, dozens of poultry, pork, beef and dairy operations have filed for bankruptcy, been sold or simply gone out of business over the past several months because of rising feed grain prices.

“How many more jobs and family farms have to be lost before we change this misguided policy and create a level playing field on the free market for the end users of corn?” the coalition asked. “It is now abundantly clear that this law is broken, and we will explore remedies to fix it.”

Dairy & Beef Issues Addressed At Global 500

Posted on November 14, 2012 by Jamie

In just two and a half weeks Lexington, Kentucky will once again open it’s doors to dairy farmers and beef producers from across the world. These agriculturalists are coming together for Alltech’s Global 500. The Alltech community offers an opportunity to find answers to your questions.

What are the modern challenges of animal production?
Where to invest?
How to target performance and profitability?
What is the future of farming?
Can sustainability be achieved?

I am excited to attend this years event and during the National Association of Farm Broadcasting’s Trade Talk I had a chance to talk with David Butler, Web Marketing Manager for Alltech. He offered insite to the upcoming event and shared what hot topics will be discussed.

“Global 500 is unique because we have progressive dairy farmers and beef producers from all over the world that come to Lexington, KY to spend three days. They get to hear some great speakers, some real industry experts, but more than that we have discussion dinners where they can share ideas and share some challenges. An opportunity for US dairy farmers to find out how their colleagues in Europe are dealing with some of the environmental regulations there that we may see here eventually.”

“Cow comfort, of course is always a big thing. Mycotoxins are a big issue this year because of the drought in the US. We will be talking about ways to manage that. And things like mineral execration and other sorts of challenges that make it really tough for farmers, especially with large herds.”

Alltech is also holding a Farms In Focus photo contest to be judged during Global 500. Snap a photo of what dairy farming means to you and submit at Alltech.com/farmsinfocus. Share via Facebook and Twitter, get all your friends to vote during the event for a chance to win $300.

Listen to my interview with David here: David Butler - Alltech

2012 NAFB Convention Photo Album

Generational Differences Among Farmers

Posted on November 9, 2012 by Melissa

New research shows how the management style of younger dairy producers and corn growers compares and contrasts with that of their older counterparts. The survey, commissioned by McCormick Company, considered management practices, ownership structures, decision-making processes, business and transition planning, and the role of information — including digital media — in running respondents’ operations.

What the study found was that younger managers embrace the same values and reasons for farming, but they often consider new ways to get information and manage their operations.

McCormick’s goal is to share proprietary insights from this research with select companies seeking innovation as they connect with key customers.

An independent research firm interviewed more than 600 corn farmers and dairy producers, half of which were younger than 45 years of age. The vast majority of their farms were owned by two or more family generations; but one in four of the younger dairy producers were first-generation owners. Continue reading →

Co-ops Announce Proposed Merger

Posted on November 2, 2012 by Melissa

The board of directors for Family Dairies USA, Manitowoc Milk Producers Cooperative and Milwaukee Cooperative Milk Producers have unanimously voted to recommend a unified merger for their membership. Combined, these three cooperatives could soon become the largest Midwest dairy marketing cooperative under the new name of FarmFirst Dairy Cooperative.

“We are extremely excited about the future this effort will offer our members,” says David Cooper, general manager for Family Dairies USA. “The combined size and strength of the new cooperative will provide all of our members with a deeper and broader voice in policy-making decisions, both locally and nationally. And, by combining the resources of three independent organizations, we will be able to improve efficiencies and effectiveness.”

“The timing of coming together could not be better,” adds Dennis Donohue, general manager of Manitowoc Milk Producers Cooperative. “The current, individual financial status of all three cooperatives is outstanding. This allows the new organization to start out on very strong footing, so that we can immediately focus on growing and improving member benefits.”

“Considerable due diligence has been done by each board,” says Jim Bird, general manager of Milwaukee Cooperative Milk Producers. “Our cooperatives have shared common goals and even collaborated in business together over the years. It is a natural progression. Now, we can combine efforts that will allow us to put more resources into critical member areas that will continue to build upon the 200-plus years of combined history we have.”

Informational meetings will be held by each cooperative’s membership over the next six weeks. The proposal to merge will be voted on by each membership in mid-December. If the merger passes, the new, combined cooperative will begin business function Jan. 1, 2013.

Under the new cooperative, the combined member representation will be divided into a total of nine districts, based on membership within each district. The current directors from each of the three cooperatives will transition into the new organization, helping ensure consistency in leadership and membership voice.

Family Dairies USA Milk Program and the Fox Valley Quality Control Laboratory will continue to operate as subsidiaries of the new cooperative.

Listen to this morning’s press conference with reps from each co-op answering questions about the merger:
FarmFirst Cooperative Announcement